Every now and then someone asks Þjórsárden (never X) about a band you saw at the very beginning that then became big, and for years my answer was always RadioheadSupport Frank and Walters back in 1992, in a small club in Liverpool. But today I go Fontaines DCwhich I discovered at a festival in the same city, in a space normally used for a small market stall, with about 15 other enthusiastic people, we knew there was something special about them.
And then 2019 Dogrel proved us that we were right: it is a classic, one of the greatest debuts in recent times.
But then.
Into these ears, episode The death of a hero which followed just 15 short months later, sounded like the dictionary definition of a band exhausted by constant touring, a tired, tired album. They gave themselves a little more time and a little more space with album number three Thin Fiaa much more coherent album, but still not reaching the dizzying heights of the early days.
Now follows singer Grian Chattens After last year’s amazing solo album, album number four has now been released. So where can we find her?
Well, the phrase “return to form” is a cliche used by a lazy music writer, so I won’t. Plus, it doesn’t quite describe what kind of set of songs they delivered.
“Back into the darkness”…
It begins with the frosty, eerie title song that captivates the ears right from the start. “Maybe romance is a place” From the sounds of it, it doesn’t necessarily sound like a place you would want to visit, but rather it exudes a menacing and threatening atmosphere.
The deadly new single ‘Starburster’with its breathless rap that hits just as hard on the tenth listen as it does on the first, with “breathless” being particularly apt as Chattens swallows after each line of the chorus, inspired by a recent panic attack he suffered in London.
Latest Single “Here’s the thing” is a bit more direct and sounds like it could be a single from the early 2000s by a Britpop band going through a maturity spurt (which sounds like an insult but is meant as a compliment). The end of the breathy ‘Wish” introduces the string element into the proceedings, which becomes more noticeable as the recording progresses, as does the variety in vocal style, it feels like there is much more character.
“This is the first album where I really love my own voice,” says Chatten. “Romance is where I sound the most like myself.” Big words from the man who once left the band Dogrel He wanted to go to the pub with the listening party because he couldn’t stand listening to his voice.
The pivotal point of the record is the absolutely stunning ‘In The Modern World’, which was first written in LA and only reinforces the feeling of disillusionment, with its “I don’t feel anything” Chorus. You wouldn’t have imagined they’d have written anything like this before, it’s a breakthrough track that they seem to blossom from. It’s a step up on several levels.
They then spent a month writing together again, three weeks doing pre-production in a north London studio and a month in a chateau near Paris, sleeping amongst the studio equipment and immersing themselves in the creation of the piece, with no outside distractions. Rather than sounding closed off and introverted, they made it sound effortless, rather than trying too hard; the record just seems to flow.
‘Motorcycle Boy’ sees the singing chorus fade in and out in an acoustic cornucopia, threatening drums dominate, the soundtrack is reminiscent of a scene from a Spanish western, and with these flourishes the work of the producer James fordlast seen at the helm of the latest great Pet Shop Boys record, come to the fore.’Sundowners’ described as “An Ode to Friendship”, sees a change in the author and singer, both will be taken over by the guitarist Conor Curley, This is another surprise hit and the oldest track on the album. “Horseness is the what” both serve to showcase the rhythm section with its huge, booming drums and omnipresent strings.
‘Death kink’ has already been praised online after it made its live debut recently. The band sees this track as the closest to Dogrel, a sign of the big leap forward, as I would say it’s probably the simplest and weakest track (relatively speaking, it’s still great) on the record.
The already published Closer ‘Favorite’is a blissful tinkle, a perfect way to celebrate the past, a shrill lap of honor.
Where they once sounded perhaps a little more suicidal, romance On this record they open the curtain wide and it sounds like they are ready to take on the world again.
Romance is very much alive.
